The present disclosure is directed to flame retardant thermoplastic elastomers.
Halogen-containing materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) find widespread use in wire and cable applications. Ecological and health concerns are driving efforts to find viable alternatives to PVC. Thermoplastic elastomers are seen as a potential halogen-free replacement to PVC as thermoplastic elastomers and PVC are similar in many physical and mechanical aspects. Wire and cable applications, however, require flame retardancy. Adding flame retardants to thermoplastic elastomers oftentimes degrades the desired physical and mechanical properties of the thermoplastic elastomer.
Desirable would be a halogen-free flame retardant thermoplastic elastomer with suitable mechanical and physical properties for wire and cable applications and flexible wire/cable in particular.